Escherichia coli csrA gene, protein encoded thereby, and methods of use thereof

Abstract

The invention includes a gene encoding csrA, the protein encoded thereby and methods of use thereof

What is claimed is:  
     
       1. An isolated carbon storage regulator (CsrA) polypeptide comprising the sequence depicted in SEQ ID NO:3. 
     
     
       2. An isolated CsrA polypeptide having SEQ ID NO:3. 
     
     
       3. A homologue of the polypeptide depicted in SEQ ID NO:3 having at least about 70% amino acid sequence identity to the polypeptide depicted in SEQ ID NO:3 and having bacterial CsrA activity; 
       wherein the CsrA activity is selected from the group consisting of inhibition of expression of glycogen biosynthetic enzymes ADP glucose pyrophosphorylase (glgC), glycogen synthase (glgA), glycogen branching enzyme (glgB), and glgS, inhibition of expression of phosphoglucomutase (pgm), inhibition of expression of gluconeogenetic enzymes fructose-1,6-biphosphatase (fbp) and phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylinase (pckA), enhancement of expression of glycolytic enzymes triosephosphate isomerase and phosphoglucose isomerase, and inhibition of cellular adherence to glass.  
     
     
       4. The homologue of claim  3  having at least about 95% amino acid sequence identity to the polypeptide depicted in SEQ ID NO:3 and having bacterial CsrA activity. 
     
     
       5. A polypeptide fragment of the polypeptide depicted in SEQ ID NO:3 comprising at least five consecutive amino acids thereof and having bacterial CsrA activity; 
       wherein the CsrA activity is selected from the group consisting of inhibition of expression of glycogen biosynthetic enzymes ADP glucose pyrophosphorylase (glgC), glycogen synthase (glgA), glycogen branching enzyme (glgB), and glgS, inhibition of expression of phosphoglucomutase (pgm), inhibition of expression of gluconeogenetic enzymes fructose-1,6-biphosphatase (fbp) and phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (pckA), enhancement of expression of glycolytic enzymes triosephosphate isomerase and phosphoglucose isomerase, and inhibition of cellular adherence to glass.